Government Support Schemes

FaHCSIA

Grow Psychology is part of theThe Early Intervention Service Provider Panel

The Early Intervention Service Provider Panel was established as the mechanism to provide increased access to services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The service contributes towards the 20 hours a week of early intervention for children with ASD as recommended by the Guidelines for Best Practice 2006. Children have access to a funding package of up to $12,000 (maximum of $6,000 per child per financial year up till their seventh birthday) to assist with the cost of early intervention services. The funding can be accessed across a number of financial years, up until the child turns seven, or until the child has used all of their available funds, whichever comes first. (Depending on the child’s age at their eligibility start date, some children may not be able to access the full $12,000.) Families must register their child prior to their sixth birthday with an Autism Advisor service. The funding package will then provide structured and intensive early intervention services, such as one- on-one intensive activities and tailored group and individual programs that can be delivered in a range of settings. Families can use their child’s funding to pay for interventions delivered by Providers on the Panel that best suit the needs of their child.

We are able to provide focussed assistance for core problems for children with Autism Spectrum disorders. Individualised assessments provide the basis for treatment planning, and a collaborative approach is taken with the child’s parents, carers, helpers and teachers. Sessions may be in our clinic setting or via facility-based visits. Evidence-based approaches are used for each child.

Individual Plans support the child’s areas of strengths and provide help for problems in areas such as school readiness skills, sensory modulation, appropriate behaviours, communicating needs, adaptation to new routines and activities, and social confidence.

Better Start

Grow Psychology is part of the Better Start Service Provider Panel.

Children under six years of age who have been diagnosed with a moderate or greater vision or hearing impairment, including deafblindness, cerebral palsy, Down, Fragile X, Prader Willi, Williams, Angelman, Kabuki, Smith-Magenis, CHARGE, Cornelia de Lange or Cri du Chat syndromes or Microcephaly are able to be registered to access early intervention funding and Medicare rebates under Better Start. Children diagnosed with Rett’s Disorder are also eligible for Better Start early intervention funding and Medicare rebates. (these children were previously eligible for early intervention funding under the Department’s Helping Children with Autism programme.)

Better Start includes early intervention funding to access a range of early intervention services and a new Medicare rebate for the development of a treatment and management plan for eligible children up to the age of 13.

Through the Panel eligible children are able to access early intervention services. The Panel consists of suitably qualified and experienced allied health professionals and other early intervention service providers.

Families and carers choose the services, providers and interventions that best suit their child.

Eligible children have access to funding of up to $12,000 (up to a maximum of $6,000 in any one financial year to assist with the cost of early intervention services. The funding can be accessed across a number of financial years, up until the child turns seven, or until the child has used all of their available funds, whichever comes first.

The funding is to be used to pay for the provision of early intervention services, including one-on-one services or activities and tailored to individual or small group programs that can be delivered in a range of settings. Families can use their child’s funding to pay for interventions delivered by providers on the Panel that best suit the needs of their child.